1. Field of the Invention
This disclosure relates to an image processing apparatus and a printing apparatus, such as a multifunction peripheral or a printer, configured to perform an input restriction (for example, an input lock) or to cancel the input restriction.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional multifunction peripheral (MFP) permits login of a user by prompting the user to input a PIN and authenticating the user based on the PIN. Then, the multifunction peripheral accepts a batch of multiple processes from the user thus authenticated to log in. If the user logs out by mistake during execution of the processes or when a predetermined timeout period elapses with the processes left unexecuted, the unexecuted processes are saved so that they can be loaded and executed at the time of a next login (see, for example, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2010-136440 (paragraphs 0052 to 0061 and FIG. 12)).
Further, as a matter of general practice, an authentication device having an authentication function is connected to a printing apparatus, such as a multifunction peripheral or a printer, so that only a user authenticated by the authentication device is allowed to use the printing apparatus. Then, when a predetermined time period elapses after the authentication, the user is disabled from using an input display unit.
However, such a conventional technique has the following problem. Specifically, if a panel lock screen (serving as a panel restriction screen) is displayed to disable or limit use of the input display unit in the middle of a job, such as a copying job (Copy) or a file transfer protocol (FTP) transmission, this reduces the convenience for the user.